Welcome to Today@WKU, the daily newsletter from WKU Public Affairs, for April 16, 2018.

WKU News

• Student Research Selected for National Conference: Kyler Hart, a senior Business Data Analytics major from Elizabethtown, was recently accepted to present his abstract titled, “Predicting Customer Gender Based on Network Behavioral Trends” at the 40th annual ISMS Marketing Science Conference.
• WKU Public Radio Weekday Newscast Schedule: Tune into WKU Public Radio for national and international news from NPR, and local newscasts every half hour during Morning Edition (4-9 a.m. Central), and All Things Considered (3-6 p.m. Central), as well as local news features and interviews produced by the WKU news staff. WKU's Public Radio can be heard on WKYU-FM (88.9) in Bowling Green/Glasgow; WDCL-FM (89.7) in Somerset/Campbellsville; WKPB-FM (88.9) in Henderson/Owensboro; WKUE-FM (90.9) in Elizabethtown/Bardstown; and online at http://www.wkyufm.org/

Follow WKU News: Subscribe to our daily email newsletter; follow WKU News on Twitter @wkunews or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WKUNews.

WKU Sports

• Baseball: WKU Eclipses 2017 Win Total with 7-5 Victory Over Marshall: WKU Baseball clinched its second Conference USA series win of the season, defeating Marshall by a score of 7-5 on Sunday afternoon. The Hilltoppers improved to 4-1 in the final game of league series, as freshman Luke Brown tallied a season-high three hits. With their 17th victory of the season, WKU has eclipsed its win total from a 16-39 record in 2017. With the team's seventh Conference USA victory of the season, the Hilltoppers have surpassed their league win total from a 6-24 record in 2017. Next: WKU vs. Tennessee Tech at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Nick Denes Field.
• Women’s golf: Lady Tops Bring Momentum into 2018 C-USA Championship: WKU Lady Topper Golf has finished in the top five as a team in seven of 10 events this season, including six straight going back to the fall. The Lady Toppers hope to carry that momentum onto the big stage this week at the Conference USA Championship in Fort Myers, Fla. The first round begins this morning.
• Men’s golf: Tops' Final Round Canceled at Boilermaker Invitational: Sunday's final round of Purdue's Boilermaker Invitational was canceled due to steady rainfall overnight and unplayable course conditions. WKU Hilltopper Golf finished in 15th place with a two-round total of 598 (301-297). Next: The Hilltoppers will compete in the Conference USA Championship April 22-25 in Texarkana, Ark.
• Men’s basketball: Johnson Thrives at Portsmouth Invitational: Four-year Hilltopper Justin Johnson put on a strong showing in recent days at the 2018 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a showcase for the nation's top college seniors. Johnson averaged 13.7 points, seven rebounds and 27 minutes across the three games. In the final stats for the tournament, he tied for 19th in scoring, 12th in rebounding and second in blocks out of 64 players.
• Softball: Hilltoppers Drop 11-Inning Heartbreaker at UAB: For the second time in Conference USA action, WKU Softball needed 11 innings to decide the third game of a series on the road as the Hilltoppers dropped a 4-3 decision in the series finale at UAB on Saturday. WKU struck first for the third-straight game but UAB got the final say as the Hilltoppers dropped to 24-18 overall and 7-8 in C-USA. Next: WKU vs. Kentucky at 6 p.m. Wednesday at WKU Softball Complex.
• Track & Field: Strong Performances at Govs Invitational Earn WKU Eight First-Place, 24 Top-Five Finishes: WKU Track & Field lit up the Governors Invitational hosted by Austin Peay Friday as the Hilltopper and Lady Topper squads returned home with 24 top-five finishes including eight first-place awards. Next: The WKU squads will compete this weekend at the Mt. Sac Relays in Torrance, Calif., and the Georgia Tech Relays in Atlanta, Ga.
• Football: Young Hilltoppers Earning Valuable Snaps in Week 4: With a number of projected starters recovering from postseason surgeries this spring, a young crop of WKU Hilltoppers have found themselves amongst the rest of the starters through the first four weeks of practice. For second-year head coach Mike Sanford, this is a valuable time for his team's future contributors and stars to emerge and provide immediate depth as early as August 31 when the Hilltoppers kick off the 2018 season at Wisconsin.
• Tennis: Tigers Defeat Lady Toppers in Regular Season Finale at Memphis: WKU dropped its regular season finale 6-1 at Memphis on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Toppers finished the regular season 8-7 and 2-2 in Conference USA play. Next: WKU will head to the Conference USA Tournament hosted in Norfolk, Va.
• Athletics: 41 WKU Student-Athletes Earn C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medals: A day after 140 WKU student-athletes were honored for their achievements in the classroom, 41 have earned additional accolades by earning a spot on the 2017-18 Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal list. The 41 WKU student-athletes are a part of 708 total student-athletes across the league who received the honor for achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher. With eight total academic medalists, the women's soccer team led all WKU sport programs while  softball had six, and football, women's golf and volleyball each had four.

More: For updates on WKU Athletics, follow @WKUSports on Twitter or WKU Athletics on Facebook.

WKU in the News

• WKU art student painting to support local special needs program: Emmalee Lawrence is a freshman at WKU majoring in art and psychology. Lawrence has created original WKU watercolor prints and is giving part of the proceeds to the H.I.V.E. in Bowling Green.
• WKU looks to linebackers Holt, Whyte to be defensive leaders: During WKU’s five weeks of spring football, second-year coach Mike Sanford said he has been looking for emerging leaders. There’s a pair of the defensive side who may fit that bill. “I think they definitely got the keys to the car,” WKU linebackers coach Maurice Crum said of Ben Holt and Masai Whyte. “They rev it up – and as they go the defense goes. I think they’re well-respected by their teammates for the people that they are and how they work. Now they’re gonna get the production to go with it, so I’m excited to see it.”

More: Check out WKU in the News page.

WKU Alumni

• Upcoming WKU Alumni events: For a listing of events, visit the Alumni website and click on the Events Calendar. Or contact the WKU Alumni Association at 888-958-2586. For a list of Alumni news, visit the Alumni News page. More: Red, White & Brew 2018; WKU SpiritFunder; Topper Travelers Program 2018

More: Visit the WKU Alumni website.

WKU Admissions

• #ClimbWithUs: The WKU Office of Admissions helps future Hilltoppers as they start their journey on The Hill. You can reach us by calling 270-745-2551, emailing admission@wku.edu or connecting with us on social media. Upcoming Important Dates/Deadlines: Admitted Student Nights; Spring TOP Dates: April 20, April 28 and May 4. Students can reserve their TOP date and take their placement exams at www.wku.edu/top
• Useful links for prospective/admitted students: Campus tours; Let’s Talk, Topper; Admissions Timeline; Topper Orientation Program; Scholarships; Housing; MASTER Plan
• Admitted Student Nights: The WKU Office of Admissions is hosting several admitted student nights in various communities. These events are for high school seniors that have been admitted to WKU and their families. The Admissions Counselor for your area will be there to discuss your next steps and answer any questions you may have. Visit https://www.wku.edu/admissions/counselors/ or call 270-745-2551 to get in touch with your WKU Admissions Counselor.

More: Visit the WKU Admissions website; Information for Prospective Students

What’s Happening At-WKU

Ongoing/continuing events

• Exhibits at Kentucky Museum: Instruments of American Excellence; A Culture Carried: Bosnians in Bowling Green (through June 30); Kaleidoscope: Kentucky Museum Quilts (through Dec. 18); 2018 Side by Side (through June 30); Create It Forward (April 19-May 2); plus other gallery and on-campus exhibits. (Museum hours/visitor information) Contact Kentucky Museum, (270) 745-2592.
• Exhibits at Downing Museum: The Story of Joe Downing: Select Works From the Collection. Downing Museum, 4801 Morgantown Road. Contact Jack LeSieur, (270) 842-7415.
• International Year of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Various events and locations during 2017-18 academic year. Contact International Programs, (270) 745-5334.
• Arts at WKU 2017-2018. Various events and locations. Contact Potter College of Arts & Letters, (270) 745-2344.

Monday, April 16

• 8 p.m.: Theatre Production: Studio Series B. Gordon Wilson Hall Lab Theatre. Admission is $5. Recommended for mature audiences. Contact Theatre and Dance, (270) 745-5845.

Tuesday, April 17

• KMEA Third District Vocal Large Ensemble Event. Van Meter Hall. Contact Music, (270) 745-3751.
• 5 p.m.: WKU Baseball vs. Tennessee Tech. Nick Denes Field. Contact Athletic Communications, (270) 745-4298.
• 6:30 p.m.: The Graduate School IMPACT Speaker Series: Compassion in Action: A Buddhist Perspective by the Venerable Phurtemba Sherpa, Tibetan Buddhist Monk. Mahurin Honors College/International Center, room 1011. Contact The Graduate School, (270) 745-2446.
• 7 p.m.: Hardin Planetarium Show: MoonBeings. Hardin Planetarium. Contact Planetarium, (270) 745-4044.
• 8 p.m.: Theatre Production: Studio Series B. Gordon Wilson Hall Lab Theatre. Admission is $5. Recommended for mature audiences. Contact Theatre and Dance, (270) 745-5845.

For upcoming events: Visit the What's Happening at WKU page, Events@WKU page or WKU’s online events calendar

About Today@WKU

• Today@WKU is a service of WKU Public Affairs. For more from WKU News, become a WKU Facebook fan, follow us on Twitter, visit the WKU News page, or check out What's Happening @WKU, “View from the Hill” segments, more News from Around Campus, WKU on You Tube or WKU webcams. Email us at wkunews@wku.edu